Multipilot controlled valve



Jan. 21, 1941. H. A. MANTz MULTIPII-JOT CONTROLLED VALVE Original FiledSept. lO, ,1954

www 'y Reuma Jan. 21, y"1941,

PATENT VOFFICE MULTIPILOT CONTBOLLED VALVE Harold A. Mantz, Milwaukee,Wis., asslgnor to Milwaukee Gas Specialty Company, Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Original No.

2,045,664, dated June 30, 1936, Se-

rial No. 743,381, September 10, 1934. Application for reissue August 9,1937, Serial No. 158,173

7 claims. (cl. 15s-'1111) This invention relates to safety valves,A andmore particularly to a multi-pilot controlled safety valve which ismaintained in open position only when each of a plurality of pilotburners is ignited, and which is snapped to closed position uponextinguishment of any one of the pilot burners. l

In the provision of automatically operable safety valves for domesticgas ranges and the like.

in which there may be two or more separate and independentpilot burners,such as, for example,

the pilot lburner for the open top or cooking burners, and the pilotburner for the oven burner, it is desirable to have the safety valveclose o the fuel supply to all the lburners upon extinguishment ofeither or both of the pilot burners.

The same conditionexists in the use of any heating installation in whichmore than one pilot burner is employed.

-The preferred embodiment of vrriy invention l provides a safety valve`structure of this type,

which is controlled by the expansion and contraction of a Sylphon-typebellows, the movement of the bellows being produced by the heating andcooling of Afluid pressure chambers connected in series and positionedadjacent the respective pilot burners. The movement of the safety valveis controlled by a spring member of disc-like form,

which is manually operable to provide for resetting of the valveindependently of the restraining pressure responsive means, if suchaction is desirable.

'Ihe bellows structure and the pressure-restraining spring disc are `socalibrated that all of the pilot burners must be ignited to developsumcient pressure'l to open the valve against the restraining springmember; and the extinguishment of any of the pilot burners will producea. suillcient cooling in the associated pressure chamber to allow adecrease of pressure sufficient so that the valve will close under thespring pressure.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a safetyvalve of this type under the control of a plurality of pilot burners orlgniters which are separately positioned with respect to the appliance,whereby the valve will be' automatically closed upon extinguishment ofany one of the pilot burners.

Another object of -the present invention is the provision of a neat,compact and positively operatlng control system for a safety valve ofthis 'f A distinctly desirable advantage secured by the presentinvention is the provision of adjusting means for varying the effectivepressure of the spring disc member upon the valve member, and adjustingmeans for varying the 'position of the to the valve seat and spring.

bellows or pressure responsive means with respect Other objects andadvantages of the present invention will appear more fully from thefollowing detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, will disclose to those skilled in the art theparticular construction and operation of a preferred form of theinvention.-

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view o'f a. common type of domestic gas rangeprovided with the safety control means of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the l safety valve member, withthe individual pressure responsive means for each of the pilot burnersdiagrammatically shown in connected position.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, in Figure 1 lthe domestic gasrange is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral E, andcomprises the burner or cooking compartment 6 and the ovencompartment 1. The cooking com partment 6 includes a plurality of opentop or cooking burners B, which are supplied with fuel from a` fuelsupply conduit 9 leading to the gas manifold I0 extending across thefront of the range.

Disposed between the fuel supply conduit 9 and the manifold I0 is thesafety valve indicated generally at II.

An oven burner, shown diagrammatically in lFigure 1 at 13, is alsoconnected to receive its fuel ,supply from the gas manifold Ill.

Suitable control valves, indicated a't I4, are provided for the'puiposeof controlling the operation of the burners B.

. The burners 8 are 'disposed in spaced relation o to. a 'central pilotburner indicated generally at I5, and which is provided with radiatingtubes leading to the burners for igniting thesame upon admissionv of gasto the burners. In addition, a pilot burner I5' is also connectedtoreceive fuel from the manifold III and to support.

a pilot flame'adjacent the oven burner I3. These pilot burners may be.of any well knownform. 'I'he valve member I6 is provided for thepurpose of controlling the flow of fuelv to the oven burner I3. A

Adjacent the pilot burner I5 and the oven pilot burner I5' is a fluidpressure cylinder, thepressure cylinder for the pilot burner I5 beingindicated at 2Il'and the pressure chamber for the pilot burner `I 5 forthe oven being indicated at 22.

The ,pressure chamber 22 is connected, through the exible metallictubing 23, to the pressure chamber 2,0. and the `pressure chamber 20 isconnected through the flexible metallic tubing 2l 'to the control valveI I, passing outwardly through -is provided with the inlet chamber 32and the outlet chamber 33 separated by the partition wall 34. Thepartition wall 54 is provided with an annularly extending recess forminga shoul` der 35 providing an annular valve seat through which fuel isadapted to now from the chamber 32 to the chamber 53.

A suitable valve member 35, provided with a valve seating portion 31formed of leather, ilber or other suitable material, is mounted upon anintegral valve stem 35 which is supported for reclprocatory movement ina boss 35 formed'in` tegral with the valve body 35. The member 35 isadapted to have valve seating engagement with 'the valve seat 35, tocontrol the ow of fuel from the chamber 52 to the chamber 35.

The lower end of the valve' stem 35 is secured to the upper end 42 of aSylphon bellows member indicated generally at 43, and which is providedat its lower end, indicated at 44, with an adjustable screw member 45,which is hollow, and is adapted to receive the extending end of theilexible tubing 24, the tubing being sealed therein or otherwise securedthereto.l

The bellows 43, which, although I have shown it in the form of a Sylphonbellows, may be any type of pressure actuated member capable ofeffecting reciprocatory movement of the valve stem 35, is enclosedwithin a cylindrical offset portion 45 of the valve body 35, and isenclosed within the recess 45 by the cap member 41, which has threadedengagement therewith, and which,

in addition, is providedwith a threaded interior portion receiving thethreaded adjusting screw 45. By this means, upon rotation of theadjustingscrew 45, the bellows 43 is shifted axially with respect to thechamber 45 to provide for! adjustment of the valve member 35 withrespecteto the valve seat 55. A locking nut, indicated at 55, isprovided for locking the screw 45 in ad-l justed position, and isprovided with an extending cylindrical portion 52 serving as a supportfor the end of the exible tubing 24, to guide it into engagement withthe member 45, and to prevent angular movement of the tubing withrespect to the adjusting screw 45 tending to break the fluid pressureconnection therebetween.

The valve body 35 is also provided with a valve cap 53, having threadedengagement therewith, there being a gasket 54 interposed therebetween toprevent gas leakage. The cap 53 is provided with an upwardly extendingboss portion 55 adapted to form a bearing for the reset control stem 55,which extends through the valve cap 55 and is provided with an operatingcap or button 51 adapted to be manually gripped for manual resetting ofthe valve.

I'he valve cap 53 is provided with an annular shoulder 55 against whichthe outer peripheral edge of a spring disc member 55 is adapted to ablewith reciprocation of the stem 55. The disc 53 is secured, at its outeredge, about the outwardly extending e cylindrlcally ilanged portion ofthe valve cap 53 by means of the packing disc,

ring 54,. which is press-fitted into engagement to secure the packingdisc 53 in position.' This effectively seals the recessed portion of thechamber 53 against entrance of gas from the inlet chamber 52 of thevalve. Y

Threaded into the lower end of the stem 55 is an adjusting screw 55,which is provided with a lock nut l for securing the screw 55 inadjusted 5 position with respect to the stem 55. The screw 55 isadjusted to have seating engagement in the upper surface of the valvemember 35, there being a suitably recessed depression formed therein4providing for seating of the head end of the screw 55 therein.

In vthe operation of the valvel disclosed, the valve member is normallymaintained in closed position by the 'spring pressure of the spring disc55 bearing against collar 55, and thus bearing againstv the ilange 52urging the reset stem 55 downwardly, to hold the valve member 35 invalve closing position. Any suitable gas, such as air, or other gashaving a relatively high coefficient of expansion, is confined withinthe bellows 45, the tubing 24, the tubing 25 and the uid pressurechambers 25 and 22. This conned gas system is sealed against leakage orthe entrance of outside air, and comprisesa sealed yuicl pressuresystem. When the pilot burnerswsuch as the burners I5 and I5', areignited, the fluid in the chambers 25 and 22 expands due to thel heatingof 4these chambers by the pilot flame. This results in an increaseof-pressure in the tubing 24, which results in an increase in pressurein the exible bellows 43. 'Ihis increase of pressure tends to elongatethe bellows, producing an upward stress upon the valve stem 35. 'I'hisstress is'counteracted by the resiliency of the springI disc 55, butwhen the pressure reaches a predetermined point, determined by thesetting of the pilot burners, the spring disc is moved upwardly, and thevalve member is thus opened under this pressure. The eiTective pressuredeveloped by the heating -of chambers 25 and 22, is so calibrated thatthevalve member will be raised from its seat against fthe -springpressure disc 55 only when all of the pilot burners are ignited and thechambers 25 and 22 are being heated. Thus, if either of the 45 pilotburners is extinguished, the corresponding chamber is cooled and resultsin a decrease in pressure, 'so that the pressure and, consequently, theelongation of the bellows 43 is decreased, allowing the vspring disc 55to force the valve mem- 50 ber downwardly into closed position. Byadjustment of the screw 55, the eective pressure of the 'spring disc 55upon the valve member 55 may be varied, and by adjustment of the screwto raise the valve member from its controlled.

If it is desiredto operate the valve without restraint, such (as forresetting the valve in open position to reignite the pilot burners, thereset stem is pulled upwardly, snapping' the spring disc 55 upwardly,and thus releasing engagement between the adjusting screw 55 andthevalve member 35, allowing free movement of the valve member directlyunder the inuence of the pres- 55 sure in chambers zo and 2z. Thus, uponslight heating of either of these chambers, the valve will open,providing for flow of fuel to reignite the pilot burners. A It is to beunderstood that the uid pressure 70 chamber. such as chambers 2 5 and22, may be multiplied4where there are more than two pilot burners in theinstallation, and in such case the calibration is changed so that it isnecessary for all of the pilot burners to be. ignited in order to 7|seat may be may also be connected either for series or paralleloperation. y

Inasmuch as the system is capable of adiustment to accommodate more orless pilot burners and associated pressure chambers, I do no t intend tobe limited to theconstruction' which I have shown and described, butonly insofar as denned by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a domestic gas range, a cooking compartment, an oven compartment,pilot burners in each of said compartments,`a mainffuel supply conduitterminating in a manifold extending into said cooking compartment, avalve in said conduit anterior to said manifold, means normally biasingsaid valve to closed position, expansible pressure responsive meanscarried by said valve for opening the same against said biasing meansupon increase in pressure therein, and serially connected thermallysensitive means adjacent each of said pilot burners providing forincrease of pressure in said pressure responsive means to open saidvalve only during ignition of both of said pilot burners, and meansoperative to render said biasing means inoperative whereby said valve isresponsive solely to variations in pressure within said pressureresponsive means.

2. In combination, a fuel supply conduit, a

valve in said conduit including a valve body, a'

valve member reciprocal therein for 'opening and closing said valve, aspring disc normally biasing said valve member toward closedl position,pressure responsive means carried by said valve body adapted to movesaid member toward' open position, a pair of remotely disposed separateame supporting means, means associated with each of said flame means-andresponsive to the h eat thereof for actuating said pressure responsivemeans, the heat of one of said ame means alone being insuillcient toproduce actuation of said valve member to open position against thepressure of said spring disc, and means operative to render the bias ofsaid disc inoperative with respect to said valve member whereby the heatof one of said name means is sufllcient to produce opening of said valvemember by said pres.

sure responsive means.

3. In combination, a valve housing having a valve seat therein, a valvemember on said seat, pressure-responsive means operative to open saidvalve member, a reset stem in said housing, means carried by said stemengaging said valve member, spring means normally biasing said en-.gaging means into position to' maintain said valve member 4on saidseat, said reset stem being operative to render said biasing meansinoper- ,ative, and a plurality of pressure-developing means remote fromsaid housing and having common communication with saidpressure-responsive means whereby all of/ said last-named means togetherare capable of raising said valve member from said seat against saidbiasing means, any one of said pressure-developing means being capableof developing sufllcient pressure to raise said valve member from saidseat when said biasing means has been rendered inoperative.

4. In combination, a valve comprising a valve housing, a valve membertherein having reciprocatory movement for opening and closing saidvalve, means normally biasing said valve member to closed position,means operative to render said biasing means inoperative,pressure-actuated means operative to open said valve member, a pluralityof thermally responsive pressure means serially connected together andcommunicating with said pressure-actuated means, all of said pressuremeans when operating together being capable of opening said valve memberagainst said biasing means,l and anyone of said pressure means alonebeing capable of opening said valve member when said biasing means isrendered inoperative.

5. In a domestic gas range, a cooking compartment, an oven compartment,pilot burners ineach of said compartments, a main fuel supply conduit-terminating in a manifold extending into said cookingcompartment, avalve in said conduit` anterior to said manifold, means normally biasingsaid valve to closed position, expansible pressurefresponsive meansasso- 'pressure responsive means independently of the biasing action 'ofsaid biasing means.

6. In combination, a valve housing having a valve seat therein, a valvemember cooperable with said seat, pressureresponsive means operative tohold said valve member in open position, a reset stem in said housing,means carried by said reset stem and engaging said valve member, springmeans normally biasing said engaging means into position to maintainsaid valve member on said seat, said reset stem being operative torender said biasing means inoperative, and a plurality of pressuredeveloping means remote from said housing and having commoncommunication with said A pressure responsive means and arranged so thatall of said last named means together are capable of holding said valvemember away from said seat against said biasing means, any one .of saidpressure developing means being capable of developing sutlicientpressure to move said valve member from.

said seat when said biasing means has been rendered inoperative.

7. In combination, a valve comprising a valve housing, a valve membertherein having reciprocatory movement for opening and closing saidvalve, means normally biasing said valve member to closed position,means operative to render said biasing means inoperative, pressureactuated means operative to hold said val've member in open position, aplurality of thermally responsive means communicating with said pressureactuated means, all of said thermally responsive pressure means whenoperating together being capable of holding said valve member openagainst said blasing means and any one of said thermally responsivepressure means alone being capable of opening said valve member whensaid biasing means is rendered inoperative. l

HAROLD A. MANTL.

